


inside, he's still broken

by SaraJaye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Crying Keith (Voltron), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s03e06 Tailing a Comet, Implied Relationships, Keith (Voltron) Needs a Hug, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Memory Loss, Nightmares, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 13:53:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15909549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: Shiro's return hasn't eased Keith's anxieties in the least.





	inside, he's still broken

It's still so strange being back after all that time lost, and once again, his memories are a blur. He remembers the final showdown with Zarkon, then nothing else until he woke up on the strange, snowy planet. The time that passed as he tried to find his way back to the team, how close he came to dying before Keith found him.

_Keith..._

He's slept in Shiro's room every night since Shiro came back, but he hasn't been sleeping well. He lies at the foot of the bed, coiled up like a spring, his face troubled and his breathing uneven. According to Coran and the others, he's been like this since the battle with Zarkon, when Shiro got lost. From the circles under his eyes and the slump of his shoulders, Shiro wonders if he's gotten any rest at all.

He's not doing so well at all, according to Lance and Allura. He didn't take Black choosing him so well, their attempts to form Voltron were near the level of disaster as the first ones, and he'd lead the team into one of Lotor's traps. _He beat himself up for hours after it, too,_ Pidge had said, _and he expected us to join in._

He hears whimpering just then, followed by a choked gasp of his name. Keith's breathing becomes ragged and harsh, and suddenly he lets out a sound too close to a sob for Shiro's comfort.

" _NO!_ " The word seems to _tear_ itself from Keith's throat as he jolts awake, nearly tumbling off the bed in his attempt to sit up. Shiro steadies him before he can hit the floor.

"It's okay, it's okay, easy now, I've got you." Keith is hyperventillating at this point, grasping for Shiro's hands, murmuring his name over and over. Shiro hugs him tightly, rubbing his back, whispering reassurances until he feels Keith's breathing slow to normal. Keith slumps against him, face buried in his shoulder, looking smaller than Shiro's ever seen anyone look before.

The sight breaks his heart.

Keith slowly looks up, his eyes still bright with fear. His hand reaches for Shiro's face, touching gingerly, as if afraid _this_ is all a dream, too.

"I'm here, Keith."

"S...Shiro..." His voice shakes, and he's blinking back tears. "Y-you're still here. I thought-I was afraid, you..." He swallows, his shoulders giving a slight hitch. "You disappeared, but this time you didn't come back, we never found you, and...and..."

"Shh, Keith." He tightens his embrace, drawing Keith's head to his shoulder. He feels the moisture of tears through the fabric almost immediately. He can feel just how much Keith's been suffering, how long he's held back anything but anger and determination for the sake of the team.

An unknown pang of regret gnaws at the back of his mind, something he wishes he'd done, but he can't place it. He wonders if it even matters, right now Keith is shaking and sobbing in his arms, clinging to him as if afraid he'll disappear again. All Shiro can do is hold him, letting him unleash all the pain and fear he's held onto.

Eventually, Keith's sobs die down and he's limp and sleepy in Shiro's arms. Shiro gets them settled under the covers, tucking them in as securely as he can, Keith's head nestled securely in the hollow of his shoulder.

"Get some rest," Shiro whispers, brushing his lips to the crown of his head. Keith snuggles in closer, his grip on Shiro's shirt loosening but not releasing.

"Don't leave me again," he murmurs, "okay? Promise?" Shiro nods.

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere again." Keith closes his eyes and drifts into what Shiro hopes will be a more peaceful slumber.


End file.
